The Rise of the Alpha

14

(Third Person POV)

Although their vision was partially obscure due to the rain, on pins and needles, the rogues above looked over the edge and upon the water below, watching it ripple out where their prey had smacked the surface and disappeared beneath it directly thereafter.

Now anyone who knew Leila knew that she wasn't exactly the hugest fan of the water (in particular, the salty body she'd wound up in), but what could she possibly do about that in the moment? She was, quite literally, in over her head and trying desperately to gather her gradually-vanishing bravery! Under the surface, she held her breath for as long as she possibly could, praying to whatever gods were listening that her prolonged presence beneath the waves was enough to cover her scent and convince the rogues that she was done for.

Her plan seemed to be working in her favor, for from beneath the surface, she was able to make out the muffled, angry howls coming forth from the group of rogues.

It's working! shouted Chloe in Leila's mind. Just hold your breath for a little bit longer, and then we can surface again.

Though fear was rushing through her veins with fierce tenacity and her lungs were yearning for oxygen, adrenaline had kicked in by then, and her will to live outweighed her plight. She ebbed and flowed with the motion of the water for a few seconds longer, and just when she swore her lungs were about to give c.ompletely out, she kicked her feet and shimmied upward, eventually breaking the surface and gasping loudly for that vital, desperately-needed element. She feared being heard from the cliff above, but Chloe convinced her that the rain and waves crashing into the face of the cliff would cover any audible sounds she would be making.

Bobbing in the warm, salty water, Leila assessed her surroundings and tried to come up with a game plan of sorts, still uncertain of the whereabouts of that dastardly group of rogues. Had they left after they let out that extended howl, or had they stayed put up top? Were they making their way to the water's edge in hopes of finding her alive, or were they still watching her from above?

She didn't know the answers to any of those questions, nor did she have the time to dwell upon them, for as she as she was bobbing, an angry, three-foot-tall swell swallowed her body and washed it into a jagged, juttting section of rock wall, effectively battering her overworked body. Swells like that might not seem like much to your average person on land, but it's a totally different story when you're in a ginormous, choppy lake and it's storming!

As her vision began to blur and impairment set in, she ever so slowly sank lower and lower, her limp body falling deeper and deeper into the murky, engulfing depths. With the salt inadvertently helping to cover her scent, the rogues were unable to pick it up any longer, therefore they proceeded to touch bases with one another for a moment then opted to disperse from the cliff, a few of them back to their encampment, and the others to relay the happenings to their hooded partner. The burly rogue was the last to depart, making sure to grab poor Leila's quickly-discarded duffle as his form of proof of her demise. After ripping loose a strong, reverberating howl, he clamped his teeth into the bag then jerked his head upward and r.eleased the thing like it was an oversized chew toy, catching it effortlessly in his jaws before taking off through the trees at top speed to catch up to the others.

*****

~meanwhile~

In the safety and security of their packhouse, a large portion of the members of River Falls had shut themselves away in their rooms to either mourn in privacy or try to sleep the awful night away, but as could be expected after such travesties had befallen them all, there were those who either couldn't sleep or simply couldn't bare the thought of going to sleep under such horrible conditions. Their connection to their soon-to-be Alpha was hanging in the balance, and they knew that well; in fact, each of their blocked attempt at mindlinking her only sank their hopes even further!

These non-sleepers opted to gather in the spacious game room, and soft, instrumental music was soon heard above the clanking coming from the air hockey table. There were a few younger kiddos whose minds just could not or would not wind down under the circumstances, so one of the adults turned on a Disney movie for them in the open living area. Those kids fetched their sleeping bags and blankets and gathered together, and that's where they remained for the time being. Everyone in that house was a tremendous aid to their fellow man and woman, and thankfully so; oh, how they were going to need one another in the days to come!

***

Time seemed to be dragging, and the apprehension and uncertainty that the pack members were feeling builded by the second, soon seeming to culminate to a degree of fear. Out of nowhere, though, the entirety of the packhouse went painfully still, for something major had just occurred, and every linked member of River Falls had felt it! Their ties to their alpha-to-be had abruptly severed, and that horrible feeling meant only one thing to them all – their Leila was now no more.

Their grim fears had come true, and as the men and women searched the faces of one another, they rushed to comfort each other and the children. Rivers of tears began to spill free, and they wept grievously, letting loose a collective howl at one point, which in turn woke the drunken, hard-snoozing, well-medicated members up. Once Amos (who had been messing around in the kitchen because he just couldn't lay down for the night yet) felt this slip in connection, he practically flew from the room and toward the stairs, consoling each and every gutted individual he brushed past along the way.

Poor, poor Cyrus! That mighty howl snatched him from the deep slumber he'd put himself in, and put simply, he knew what that howl had meant. He was in utter shock, and his heart felt as if it had been obliterated into a million microscopic pieces! How could he have failed not only Mark and Lavinia but also his beloved Obadiah and Lucy as well? Now, throwing dear Leila into the mix had simply cut him down to his soul!

Soon, Amos met up with Cyrus, who was wiping away tears as he was making his way down on the stairs, and a brief discussion concerning the pack ensued. Amos's approach was that since he had already taken the initiative to have the deceased prepped for burial, why not take charge over the next day or two to ensure smooth arrangements?

For reasons unknown to Cyrus in the moment, Amos's proposition made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. Perhaps Amos's ability to carry on under such distress was to blame, or maybe it was the fact that Cyrus felt Amos was rushing things along. Could it be that his living brother's will to have a funeral without having Leila's body to bury was the cuplrit? "But, don't you think we should have Leila's remains here to lay to rest, brother? It just doesn't seem right to close that chapter without her," he inquired, to which the beta initially replied with a shrug.

"Our connection to her is broken, Cyrus," Amos answered, his tone gloomy yet sympathetic. "That's all the proof needed."

Cyrus certainly didn't agree, but rather than argue with the man in front of the pack members, he kept his sentiments behind zipped lips. A plan of his own was brewing in his mind, so on that note, he excused himself from Amos's presence to go pour himself a strong drink.

With their conversation wrapped up, Amos linked every member of the pack, telling them to gather in the living area. About five minutes later, the entire pack (minus the sleeping children and the volunteer patrolmen) was downstairs and waiting patiently for further instruction.

Not too long after that, Amos maneuvered his way through them and positioned himself in front of the TV. "Somebody turn this thing down, please," he asked of his pack, pairing it with a jerk of his head toward the oversized electronic behind him. The moment the thing was muted, he addressed the sea of tired faces. "Ladies and gents … well … by now, you all know it's no secret that our hopes of finding young Leila alive are simply no more, so in order to make the navigation of the coming days a bit easier for us all, Cyrus and I have agreed that I should take over the funeral arrangements." The worn-out pack members were too occupied with their own grief that they simply nodded, murmured their 'okays', and held each other tightly. "For now, let's just retire to our rooms and try to get some rest, huh? Tomorrow's gonna be a difficult day and will require our energy."

Given the level of exhaust that most of them were feeling, the crowd began to depart for their rooms, exchanging warm hugs and words of solace as they made their ways back. They just wanted their utter Hell to be over for the night!